


I'll Look After You

by innovatived



Category: Glee RPF
Genre: M/M, Sickfic, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-14
Updated: 2014-12-14
Packaged: 2018-03-01 12:09:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2772500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/innovatived/pseuds/innovatived
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris has learned being a soulmate might not be so bad. Except when he’s sick and he can’t hide it from Darren.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Look After You

**Author's Note:**

> Gift for [roblaine](http://roblaine.tumblr.com) for the Crisscolfer Holiday Gift Exchange 2014~
> 
> [On tumblr](http://secretcrisscolferunicorn.tumblr.com/post/104709139593/ill-look-after-you).

When he was younger, Chris thought having a soulmate you could never lie to was stupid. Lying was essential sometimes, necessary for functional relationships. His mother told him one day, when he meets his soulmate, he won’t feel like that anymore. You won’t even notice because you’ll never want to lie to them.

And she was, he begrudgingly admits, right.

He’s never felt the need to lie to Darren. It’s never been an issue, or an even a passing thought. It wasn’t necessary.

Until today.

He curls up in his side of the bed for a moment, burying his nose in the soft pillow. Chris stifles another groan, not wanting to be heard by Darren, who is making breakfast. He slides out from beneath his covers and lets his toes dig into their plush carpet. His body shivers from the constant too-hot and too-cold game it likes to play when he’s sick.

Or not sick. He can’t be sick today.

Chris makes his way through his shower routine, almost purring at how good the water feels over his aching body and overly warm skin. The steam clears up his sinuses for the time, allowing him to breathe correctly for the first time in days.

Unfortunately, as he’s rinsing his mouth after his shower, he can feel the overly gross tickle in his throat return and he groans. His body racks with the coughs, and his throat feels on fire with how much each one hurts. He’s whimpering by the time it’s over, hands gripping the sink counter. When he looks up in the mirror, his face is splotched red.

Dammit.

He exits the bathroom, grabbing Darren’s Michigan hoodies that’s draped over the dresser in their room and tossing it on. Chris steels himself, trying to keep his breathing normal and sniffles at a minimal, before exiting towards the kitchen.

‘I just have to make it until Darren leaves for work in an hour,’ he thinks to himself, ‘then I can drown in cough syrup and sleep until the event tonight, and no one will be any wiser.’

When he pads down the hallway, he can already hear Darren’s voice carrying from the kitchen. Chris doesn’t know what he’s singing, he hardly ever does, but it’s nice and pleasant and Chris wishes he could wrap himself up in the tone of Darren’s voice.

Darren’s swinging his hips as he flips pancakes, voice crescendoing with whatever song he’s singing. His hair is minimally tamed, loose curls bobbing everywhere when he steps. Darren looks warm and comfy in his grey hoodie, and it’s every good thing Chris needs right now.

He slides up behind Darren, pressing his nose against the back of his neck and wrapping his arms around Darren’s torso. Darren keeps singing, pressing back against Chris.

“Good morning sleepyhead,” Darren pauses his singing. He takes the pan off the stove, sitting it on the counter, before turning around to face Chris.

“Morin’,” Chris yawns to hold back a cough. He wants to groan at the beginnings of a headache that he can feel simmering under his temples. Darren leans forwards to press a soft kiss against his cheek. Chris gives a hum in reply. He steps away to sit at the kitchen table, where Darren’s already placed his Diet Coke. He takes a couple swings of it, happy that it seems to placate his cough for now and not irritate it.

Darren places the pancakes on the plates, and grabs the butter and syrup, placing them all on the table before he sits down across from Chris.

When Chris looks up from where he had been staring at his Diet Coke, he’s met with Darren’s suspicious stare. Chris gulps down some more Coke, before sliding his stack of pancakes closer to him. It smells delicious, and his stomach is growling at how hungry he is. But Chris is wary, his stomach is tossing around and making his inside churn every few seconds, so he’s not sure if it can handle Darren’s delicious pancakes.

He spreads butter on the pancake, and puts just another syrup on to cover the pancake. Chris giggles when he looks over at Darren’s pancake, which is drenched so thickly in syrup, the liquid has run onto the kitchen table. The laugh makes the back of his throat flare, and he has to hold his breath to keep another cough from escaping. Chris’ eyes water slightly, but he manages to keep himself collected.

Darren chatters while they eat their pancakes. About what scenes he’s filming today, what they need to pick up at the grocery store, the phone call he had with his mom yesterday. Chris is utterly grateful that he’s so talkative and completely okay with Chris just nodding and ‘mhmm’-ing in the right places, with an occasion comment thrown in.

He manages to eat most of his pancakes, his Coke soothing the bubbles in his stomach for now. He knows he’ll pay for it later, but later Darren won’t be here and he can wallow in his misery alone until the event.

Chris grabs the dishes off the table, walking over to place them in the dishwasher. Darren comes up behind, plastering himself along Chris’ back in ways that sets Chris’ on fire. Any other day, he would press Darren away, he has to got to work. But today Chris presses back, trying to absorb some of the warmth from Darren’s body. He turns around, pressing his nose into Darren’s neck and his body close enough that they’re touching chest to toes. It feels amazing, and Chris wishes he could force Darren to stay home with him, so he can spend all day curled up against him.

“Someone’s cuddly today,” Darren murmurs against his ear. He runs a soothing hand down Chris’ spine, and it makes him shiver.

Chris turns his head slightly so he can speak. “M’cold. You’re warm.” It’s not a lie, he is freezing, just not for the reasons Darren thinks.

“So I’m just a convenient space heater to you? I’m hurt,” he laughs, and Chris can feel the vibrations in Darren’s chest. It makes him press closer against Darren. It’s a comfort in ways he never could have known before he met Darren. They say your soulmate does that to you, but he wouldn’t of believed them before Darren.

“I wondered why you had my hoodie on, you usually only wear those when you’re sick.”

Chris briefly freezes against him. Does he really only wear them when he’s sick? He decides to ignore the comment, feeling that speaking could lead to Darren asking the question he really doesn’t want to be asked. His head burst with a brief jolt of pain, and he squeezes his eyes shut in pain.

“We can move this cuddle session to the couch, if you want? I still have some time before I need to leave for work” Darren presses a few kisses against his head, thumb rubbing over his back in broad strokes. Chris can only nod in reply, whimpering as Darren separates himself so they can move. Darren gives him a look of worry, but Chris just shivers in reply, masking his illness as just being cold.

Darren stretches himself across the couch, patting his side. Chris crawls over him and curls up against him, letting his cheek rest against his soulmate’s chest. He still feels like absolute shit, praying that he doesn’t cough or sneeze in a way that Darren might notice he’s sick. The comfort of Darren’s arm running over his back and feeling him breathe helps him relax a little.

Darren threads a hand through his hair, massaging gentle circles every so often. It feels so good that Chris starts to drift off. His eyelids close, and he manages to ignore the pounding in his head enough to start falling asleep.

It doesn’t last.

He feels the cough before it actually starts. It climbs up his throat, burning the whole way. Chris makes a pathetic whining noise as soon as he feels it, knowing the ruse is up.

Darren makes a questioning noise. “Wha-?”

Chris starts coughing violently. He lurches forward, burying his mouth into the crook of his elbow to contain the cough. His body shakes and his throat burns like no other. He can feel the tears starting to form in his eyes, and he has to squeeze his eyes shut even tighter to keep them from falling. Darren rubs over his back in soft strokes, trying to soothe him.

It finally stops, and he gives a last whine before burying his head in Darren’s chest again. Darren laughs softly. “You okay?” He whispers softly.

Chris wants to say yes, he doesn’t want to Darren to worry. But he can’t.

“No,” he whimpers against Darren’s chest.

Darren makes a noise of sympathy. He moves his hand that was on Chris’ back to stroke through his hair instead. “Awww,” he murmurs, “Are you sick baby?”

Chris lets out a sigh, his throat still burning. He goes to say ‘No, I’m fine’ but his throat clenches up and his head throbs. Goddamnit. He concedes to nodding, not wanting to speak the words out loud.

“Go lay back down in bed, I’ll be there in a second,” he squeezes Chris’ shoulder gently. Chris stumbles off the couch and to their room, missing the warmth of Darren already. He sinks into the mattresses gratefully, curling up around one of Darren’s pillows. He figures Darren’s going to get him medicine and some water before he leaves for work, so he wants to be able to sleep surrounded by Darren’s scent.

Darren pads in a few minutes later. “Hey, can you sit up sweetie?” Chris rolls over, sitting up against the headboard. He feels like his head is filled with fog. Darren huffs out a laugh, grabbing a pillow and shoving it behind Chris’ back. Chris relaxes back into the pillow.

“Here,” Darren hands him two pills and a glass of water. He swallows them with minimal pain, and then drains the glass of water to soothe his sore throat. Darren presses a gentle kiss against his temple. “I’m going to go run and get you some cough medicine and those cough drops you like, okay? I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Chris blinks up at him, registering Darren’s words. “Wait- you have to go to work?” He manages to mumble out.

“Called off,” Darren grabs his jacket off the back of the door, “Do you want anything else?”

“You can’t call off! We have a concert tonight!” He tries to protest, weakly glaring at his soulmate. He’s not missing this event, it’s too important-

“They’ll survive without us.”

“But it’s you concert! We were gonna sing together,” he whines. His throat hurts from speaking too much. Chris sniffles, and he groans to himself. He tries to pout at Darren, but he just ends up starting another round of coughing fit.

“Yeah, I wanna watch you sing with your throat hurting that bad,” He moves over to Chris, stroking his back until the coughing stops. “It’ll be fine, we can reschedule. I’m sure the fans will understand.”

Chris sighs. He doesn’t have it in him the argue anymore, the medicine still hasn’t kicked in yet and his head is still heavy with fog. “Can you buy some chicken noodle soup please? We ran out last time you were sick.”

“Of course. I’ll be back in a few, love you!” Darren slips out of the bedroom. Chris can hear the front door close, and then eventually the car pulling out the driveway. He positions himself to be lying down again, and he closes his eyes to hopefully fall asleep.

He wakes up to Darren pressing kisses along his cheek. Chris goes to smile, but he can feel the tickle in throat, so he quickly shoves Darren away. He turns on his side in the opposite direction, coughing into the pillow. Darren makes a soothing noise, and massages his back until he’s done.

“Got you some cough syrup, I’m assuming you want it now?”

“Uh-huh,” Chris maneuvers onto his back again, and opens his eyes to see Darren. He seems like an angel right now, black curls framing his face and stupid honey colored eyes looking at Chris with concern. Darren pours some cough syrup into one of the medicine cups, and hands it over to Chris.

He chugs it, not wanting to deal with the taste any longer than possible. Chris smacks his lips a couple of times in distaste.

Darren takes the cup back from him. “I know sweetheart, but you know it’ll help.”

“Doesn’t make it taste any better,” he retorts back. Darren hands him a cough drop, and he pops it in his mouth. Chris can tell its the kind he likes almost immediately when the cherry like flavor fills his mouth. He moans in happiness. The cough drops start soothing his throat almost immediately and it seems like the first medicine Darren gave him had finally kicked in. His head no longer throbs and the ache in his muscle seems to have lessened.  

“Soup?” Chris breathes out weakly. Darren just laughs at him.

“Yeah, I can go make you soup.”

Chris stares at Darren, debating internally. He tugs on Darren’s arm. “Mm, no lets cuddle instead.”

Darren sends him a grin that could light up New York CIty. Chris moves over on the bed, leaving enough room for Darren to sit beside him. He immediately turns over and curls up against the man like a sloth.

“Did you tell the fans the show was cancel?” His voice comes out mumbled from where his face is pressed into Darren’s neck. Darren places soft kissed on the top of his head, and use his hand to massage Chris’ back.

“Yeah, told’em my soulmate was sick. They all sent well wishes.”  
  
“M’good,” Chris curls up tighter against Darren.

They sit in silence for a few moments. Chris basks in the feeling of the medicine kicking in. But soon Darren starts singing softly into his ear, and Chris’ eyes start to feel heavy as he drifts off to sleep.

Maybe he didn’t want to admit to Darren that he was sick. And in a few days he’ll probably feel pretty damn guilty for making Darren miss work and for both missing their event.

But right now?

Chris can’t be anything but grateful for having his own special brand of medicine here with him.

His soulmate.


End file.
